The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Take a look at these hands
Take a look at these hands
The hand speaks, the hand of a government man
Well I'm a tumbler born under punches, I'm so thin
All I want is to breathe
(I'm too thin)
Won't you breathe with me?
Find a little space, so we move in-between
(In-between it)
And keep one step ahead, of yourself
Don't you miss it, don't you miss it
Some of you people just about missed it
Last time to make plans
And I'm a tumbler, I'm a government man
Never seen anything like that before
Falling bodies tumble 'cross the floor
(Well I'm a tumbler)
When you get to where you wanna be
(Thank you! Thank you!)
When you get to where you wanna be
(Well, don't even mention it)
Oh, take a look at these hands, they're passing in-between us
Take a look at these hands
Take a look at these hands, you don't have to mention it
No thanks, I'm a government man
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on where the hand has been
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on
(I got time)
And the heat goes on
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on, where the hand has been
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
I'm not a drowning man
And I'm not a burning building! I'm a tumbler
Drowning cannot hurt a man
Fire cannot hurt a man, not the government man
All I want is to breathe
(Thank you, thank you)
Won't you breathe with me?
Find a little space so we move in-between
(I'm so thin)
And keep one step ahead of yourself
(I'm catching up with myself)
All I want is to breathe
Won't you breathe with me?
(Hands of a government man)
Find a little space so we move in-between
And keep one step ahead of yourself
(Don't you miss it! Don't you miss it!)
All I want is to breathe
Won't you breathe with me?
Take a look at these hands
The hand speaks, the hand of a government man
Well I'm a tumbler born under punches, I'm so thin
All I want is to breathe
(I'm too thin)
Won't you breathe with me?
Find a little space, so we move in-between
(In-between it)
And keep one step ahead, of yourself
Don't you miss it, don't you miss it
Some of you people just about missed it
Last time to make plans
And I'm a tumbler, I'm a government man
Never seen anything like that before
Falling bodies tumble 'cross the floor
(Well I'm a tumbler)
When you get to where you wanna be
(Thank you! Thank you!)
When you get to where you wanna be
(Well, don't even mention it)
Oh, take a look at these hands, they're passing in-between us
Take a look at these hands
Take a look at these hands, you don't have to mention it
No thanks, I'm a government man
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on where the hand has been
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on
(I got time)
And the heat goes on
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
And the heat goes on, where the hand has been
And the heat goes on and the heat goes on
I'm not a drowning man
And I'm not a burning building! I'm a tumbler
Drowning cannot hurt a man
Fire cannot hurt a man, not the government man
All I want is to breathe
(Thank you, thank you)
Won't you breathe with me?
Find a little space so we move in-between
(I'm so thin)
And keep one step ahead of yourself
(I'm catching up with myself)
All I want is to breathe
Won't you breathe with me?
(Hands of a government man)
Find a little space so we move in-between
And keep one step ahead of yourself
(Don't you miss it! Don't you miss it!)
All I want is to breathe
Won't you breathe with me?
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This could all be completely wrong but it's how I see this song in my head: I look at this song as being an interpretation of the way your typical Westerner was looking at the world in 1980. It's a world that was "born under punches" (2 worlds wars, a depression, etc) and now all anybody wants is stability ("to breathe"). But the only way to really achieve stability is to be a "tumbler" because the world itself is not a stable place. I think a "government man" is sort of a characterization of someone who has found (or at least feels like they have found) such stability. I agree that the drowning and the fire are references to other Talking Heads songs, especially the burning building bit.
@cfraserh ... and keep one step ahead <br /> of yourself